Q&A: How were Rome's invasion troops carried?

Was the Roman force an invasion fleet whose soldiers could also board enemy ships?

Partly: picked legionaries fought aboard the warships, but most invasion troops traveled in separate towed transports that were released before combat.

Soldiers assigned to fight aboard the quinqueremes were separate from most of the army intended for operations in Africa. Picked legionaries served as marines on the warships, while the main invasion force traveled in sailing vessels under tow. The tow lines were cut before battle so the quinqueremes could maneuver freely. After the victory, the warships recovered the slower transports and resumed the crossing.